Planning Series - Week 8 - Homeschool and Housework . . . Can I do Both?

We are at week 8 of my summer planning series. Today we have Misty from Joy in the Journey sharing with us about how she manages Homeschooling and Housekeeping.

I will be the first one to admit that homeschooling is a full time job. With planning for school, teaching our children, and grading large piles of schoolwork homeschooling can easily take up a full workday. After the homeschool day is done, we still have our “other” job to do-being a homemaker and mom.

For many homeschool families the housework takes a back burner. At the end of the day we are exhausted, which means dishes pile up, laundry stays in baskets, and our floors may be littered with crumbs. We often ask ourselves “How can I keep up?”

I have found three things help me the most with keeping up with homeschooling and housework. The first is a cleaning schedule I am a planner, and I have a husband who prefers a neat and tidy house. When we first began homeschooling, our home was a disaster many days. I also ran a daycare so I had normal kid messes times 6 or 7. I was quickly getting in over my head and needed to find a way out. I had read a blog post that suggested moms break down chores into smaller pieces. This was a huge help to me and made a lot of sense. Hence, my cleaning schedule was born.

A cleaning schedule does not have to be set in stone, it can be flexible. It more or less just lets you get yourself in a routine. I know Mondays are bathroom days, and on Wednesdays, I need to mop the floor. It helps knowing that if nothing else gets done that day but what is on the cleaning schedule, it is OK! This helps me feel like I am “keeping up” with a clean house.

The next thing that has helped me with homeschooling and housework is to get the kids involved. My children learn at a young age to pick up the laundry, help with chores, and to pick up after themselves. As a busy homeschool mom, you do not need to give yourself any more work than what is necessary. I have found numerous pins like this one that give a great guideline as to what chores your child is capable of at each age. Training our children to work around the house while they are young will be beneficial to them and us as they grow up. They will learn valuable skills that will last them a lifetime as well as develop a good work ethic. We will be able to have more time to tend to younger kids who need more help doing school work, will have more time to plan, and will be able to focus on chores that the children are unable to help with.

The last thing that has helped me with homeschooling and housework is to give myself grace. This is the number one tip I have for you! Sometimes your kids will get sick, you will have to let something slide. That is ok. Remember your priority at that moment is your child. Sometimes your child will be struggling with school, this will take more time, and your housework may have to slide. This is okay, give yourself grace. Sometimes life will get in the way and we will have to let our housekeeping standards slide and that too is okay. We must remember to give ourselves grace.

Homeschooling is a full time job, and one that is rewarding in many ways. Our homes are also important, and balancing homeschooling and a clean house can be done. We just need to find a schedule that works, teach our children to help, and give ourselves grace along the way. These tips will save us time and and our sanity  .

Misty Bailey is a wife to Roger and a homeschool mom to three beautiful blessings. She resides with her family in Southern Ohio. She loves helping new homeschoolers and has a free Homeschool 101 eBook for those getting started. She shares her struggles with time management, becoming unglued and finding joy in the everyday moments on her blog Joy in the Journey. You can also find her on Facebook and Pinterest.